The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee held a hearing last Wednesday titled, “Meeting the Individual Needs of All Students: The Role of Charter Schools.” As Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) gaveled in, his opening remarks focused on the need for parents to exercise school choice and the Committee’s responsibility to ensure such choices exist. He welcomed two majority witnesses: Debbie Vaughn, co-founder of Lakes and Bridges Charter School in Easley, South Carolina, and parent of two children with dyslexia; and Moranda Jackson, a parent and teacher assistant at GEO Prep in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Ms. Vaughn’s testimony highlighted that her children with dyslexia could not access needed services through the traditional public school, which led her to co-found a specialized charter school for children with dyslexia. She emphasized the role of the Charter School Program (CSP) funding that the federal government provides to states to help launch new charter schools and described some challenges a school faces as CSP funding dissipates over time. Ms. Jackson shared how the GEO ‘dual enrollment’ model allowed three of her children to complete associate degrees before entering post-secondary education, noting that one daughter had just spoken as valedictorian. Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) introduced the minority witness, Jennifer Coco, Esq., Interim Executive Director of the Center for Learner Equity (CLE). Ms. Coco discussed the organization’s work to remove systemic barriers that exclude students with disabilities from high-quality learning opportunities so families have true access to choices and robust support in public charter schools. She presented recommendations for Congress to consider, including fully funding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), funding all K-12 and IDEA programs, and preserving the Department of Education, including the Office for Civil Rights and the Office of Special Education Programs. Several Senators attended and discussed the themes of education funding, helping students with disabilities access their special education services, IDEA full funding, and the difference a well-resourced charter school with trained leaders and staff can make for students.